Rotary piston engine



March 18, 1958 M, PUI 2,827,025

ROTARY PISTON ENGINE Filed Jan. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 4 g

Fig. 3

Manuel 5. Palm INVENTOR. BY

M. E. PUIM ROTARY PISTON ENGINE March 18, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1955 Fig. 2

United States Patent O ROTARY PISTON ENGINE Manuel E. Puim, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 7, 1955, Serial No. 480,348

1 Claim. (Cl. 123-16) forcing the compressed combustible mixture into a firing iv chamber, igniting the compressed combustible mixture, receiving the propelling force of the combustion of the explosive mixture and finally expelling the burnt gases from the interior of the casing.

An object of this invention is to provide a rotary type piston engine of improved construction, increased efiiciency, very few moving parts, simplicity and extreme reduction in friction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rotary piston engine in which alternate pistons are driven by the firing of a charge of combustible mixture behind the pistons after it has been compressed in which the area f the surface of the piston acted upon by the expanding gases increases as the force of the gas decreases and wherein the combustion chamber or firing chamber is provided with a high pressure exhaust port to decrease the load imposed upon the succeeding piston in expelling the burnt gases from the firing chamber.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a rotary type piston motor that utilizes a super charger for compressing the combustible mixture before it enters the engine and forming a device having two power strokes per revolution of the rotor.

Yet another important feature of the present invention is to provide a rotary type piston engine wherein two rigid and elongated pistons are provided in crossed relation in sliding engagement with the rotor wherein both ends of each piston will be continuously in contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical casing thereby eliminating the friction normally caused by centrifugal force urging the vane type pistons against the surface of the casing as it will be seen that the centrifugal forces acting upon the elongated pistons utilized in the present construction substantially neutralize each other.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the rotary piston engine of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional View on an enlarged scale taken substantially upon the plane taken along section line 22 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of the engine of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing further structural details of the interior of the engine of the present invention;

2,827,025 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 "ice Figure 4 is a plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 44 of Figure 2 showing the details of construction of the firing chamber;

Figure 5 is an exploded group perspective View showing the rotor and the two pistons mounted therein; and

Figure 6 is a group perspective view showing the sealing members on the outer ends of the pistons for engaging the side surfaces of the cylindrical casing as well as the inner peripheral surface thereof.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 18 generally designates the rotary piston engine of the present invention including a generally hollow cylindrical casing designated by the numeral 12 and including two cylindrical side members 14 and 16 and a peripheral member 18. The peripheral member 18 is formed integrally with a supporting base 20 that may be attached to any supporting surface. Also integrally formed with the center peripheral member 18 is an intake member 22 having an attaching flange 24 and an exhaust opening 26 having an attaching flange 28 for permitting inlet and exhaust into the casing 12. Rotatably supported in the side members 14 and 16 and extending through the casing 12 is a shaft 39 having a rotor or cylindrical member generally designated by the numeral 32 secured thereto for rotation within the casing 12 in an eccentric manner for a purpose described hereinafter. On one end of the shaft 30 is mounted a power take-off belt pulley 34 and on the other end of the shaft 30 is mounted a fan member 36 ro tatable in a casing 49 having a discharge conduit 42 integrally formed therewith and attached to the flange 24 of the inlet opening 22 thereby partially compressing the combustible mixture as it enters the intake port 22. The carburetor and fuel supply are not shown in the present illustration and it will be understood that any particular type may be utilized. Secured to the shaft 30 in spaced relation to the pulley 34 is a cam member 44 for operating a valve push rod 46 for a purpose described hereinafter. Adjacent the other end of the shaft 30 is a gear 48 for driving a gear 50 on a magneto 52 that is connected to a spark plug 54 by an ignition wire 56 for operation in a manner described hereinafter.

The rotor 32 includes a pair of generally cylindrical side members 58 and 64 that are secured together by bolts 62 and include transverse recesses 64 on the inner side surfaces thereof and peripheral recesses 66 on the outer surface thereof. Each of the side members 58 and is provided with a central aperture 68 for receiving the shaft 38.

Slidably received in the transverse recesses 64 is a pair of elongated pistons 7t and 72 that are provided with recessed portions 74 and 76 on their inner surfaces wherein the recessed portions 74 and 76 are positioned over each other for positioning the pistons 70 and 72 in crossed relationship and slidable relationship in relation to the side members 58 and 64 The recessed portions 74 and 76 are provided with elongated slots 78 and 80 for positioning over the shaft 3% thereby permitting sliding movement of the pistons 70 and 72 in relation to the side members 58 and 60.

Each end of each of the pistons 70 and 72 is provided with a notch 82 which extends around three sides of the piston and receives two Lshaped members 84 and 86 which act as seals. The L-shaped members 84 and 86 are provided with springs 88 for urging the vertical legs of the L-shaped members 8 and 86 against the surface of the casing 12. The outer ends of the L-shaped members 84 and 86 overlap for forming a seal against the inner surface of the peripheral member 18 of the casing 12.

Remotely from the inlet opening 22 and the exhaust opening 26 is a firing chamber generally designated by the numeral 99 and including an opening 92 providing communication into a chamber 94 which is provided with -initial compressor for the combustible. gases.

cfiicient combustion and expansion operation.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of anopening 9 6 back into the interior of the casing The opening 92 is provided with a ball check valve 98 for closing the communication with the interior of the casing; 12 .through the opening-Qiwhenlthe spark plu-g'4 is actuated 'jfonfiringzthecombustible mixture that is compressed intolthesfiring chamberfi. A poppet 'type tvalve Nilextends into the chamber 94and-isactuated by fthe push rod 46' through a bellcrank member 102 erg-gaging the outerendof the-poppet valve A valve spring 104r-EUIEOHHQS1EIE shank. of. the valve 1& for urging the valve .100 to .a normally closedposition. A pair of; peripheral sealing rings 106 arepcsitioned in the inner surtace'of the side :r-nembers'ldie forming the casing leakage of compressedigases. V V

ljn operation the rotation. of the rotor 32 is clockwise while viewing Figure 2 :andthe combustible mixture is V in said casing journaled -for rotation, the eccentricity of '12 {or sealingly engagirrgtthe rotor 32 thereby'eliminating fdrawn int otthe intake .22 or forced under pressure into the .inteniorof the casinglZ by the fan 36. The combustihle-.;mixture is then compressed and moved upwardly by theilower piston 76 as illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the gasi'sdoreed into the tiring chamber 94 through the open- ;ing 92 by raising .the check valve 98 off its seat.

combustible mixtureand; the valve 106 will be openedby vthe cam 44 tt-her ebypermitting the combustion gases to expand into the' chamber designated by the numeral 110 which-is an-expansion chamberfor contact against the pistonwhich has just finished compressing. Afterthe gases pistons 70 and 72 in :relationto the rotor 32 permits the pistons to at all times seal against the casinglZ and the expanding exhaust gases ;hit alternating pistons and the other elongatedpiston acts only as a supercharger or Lubricat-ionis fed into the interior of the casing with the combustible'nrixtureand the various sealing means provide an the device will be readily understood and further explanation (is believed to be unnecessary.

thoseskilled in'the art, it is not desired to limit the inven- :tion. to' the exact construction shown and described, and

stationary, closed casing, an eccentrically disposed rotor Thesliding motion of the However, since nu-. .merous modifications and changes will readily occur to' the rotor forming an expansion chamber between 'the cas ing and rotor, said casing having a firing chamber thereon,

combustible mixture supply means communicated with i said chamber, means for admitting a combustible mixture into the chamber, timed ignition means for igniting the combustible mixture, timed valve means communicated with the interior of the casing for permitting the combustion products 'touexpandl-into the casing, said rotor including a pair offacing plates, the inner surface of each facing plate having "perpendicular'diametric grooves,the periphcry of; said .plates having :an inwardly extending notch. at

each end of each groove, means detachably securing the plates together in-abutting-engagemenua pair of perpen dicular pistons slidably disposed in said radial grooves with the length of the pistons being substantially equal to the diameter of the casing for engagement with theinner snr face of the casing; each piston having a reduced cenn'al portion :witha slot therein, the reduced portion beingsslidably disposed insaidgrooves with the'slots being disposed in registry with -;eaeh other, a power shaft extending throughsaid rotor a-ndthe-registered slots for permitting movement of the pistons :in relation to the rotor,:eaeh%pis-' ton having laterally enlarged ends slidably reeeived insaid notches, and terminating in substantially coplanar relation with the outer surface of said plates, each enlarged end .having :aggroove extending across: each end and radially inwardly on eachside thereof, ;a' pair of .L-shaped sealing members disposed in said grooveswith one legfiispose'd in the end groove.forengagement-with the inner periphery of the-easing and the other leg disposed in the'side groove I'have expanded, they will then be exhausted through the :outlet'26 in the usual manner.

for engagement with the endrwall of the casing, spring means disposed between the other leg and the bottom of the side .gro'ove for urging the-sealing members outwardly into engagement withthe end walls of the casingw-ith centrifugal force urging" said-.oneleg intosealing engage merit with-the inner periphery of the casing, said one leg being disposed in overlapping. relation, said casing having an exhaust opening in the expansion chamber-tor exhaustingi expanded exha ust products, said firingcha-mber directing combustion products against the end of a piston as it. travels toward theexhaust opening in the expansion chamher whereby the expansion of the'combustion products will ca-userotation of the rotor.

Fahrney Nov. 21, '1939 

